Traditional beliefs ignored in marriage equality debate
Opposing change on the basis of deeply held beliefs isn’t bigotry. In recent years there has been a remarkable shift in sentiment across the Western world about same-sex marriage. It may well be that in the next Federal Parliament, if not in this, there will be a majority of MPs who support change. The change in thinking is particularly apparent in the Labor Party. Less than four years ago, party policy was to oppose same-sex marriage. A little more than 10 years ago it voted with the Coalition to include in the Marriage Act a definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. Now, by 2019, MPs who hold that view will no longer be able to have a conscience vote on the matter. The implicit message, regrettably, is that people of devout faith who hold traditional views about marriage are no longer welcome in the party – a position that will be electorally dangerous for Labor in the long term. These are the "true believers" that Labor is leaving behind in embracing this ch